Bengaluru,  Amid surging cases during the second wave of the pandemic, the Karnataka Health Department on Tuesday issued new guidelines for treating Covid patients.

"In view of the alarming rise in cases amid the second wave, the guidelines are meant to facilitate effective management of patients under home isolation, home care, at Covid care centre, designated Covid health centre or Covid hospital," said state Health Secretary Jawaid Akhtar in an order.

As per the guidelines, asymptomatic or mild case patients should be self-isolated at their residence, with a caregiver on 24-hour basis.

"A regular communication link between the caregiver and hospital is a pre-requisite for the duration of home isolation/home care of the patient," said the order.

Elderly patients above 60 years of age and those with comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung/liver/kidney disease, or cerebrovascular disease shall be allowed home isolation/home care after clinical evaluation by a medical officer/physician/family doctor.

"The criteria for shifting positive cases to Covid care centre, dedicated Covid health centre with beds and oxygen facility, dedicated Covid hospital with intensive unit (ICU) beds are moderate to severe symptoms of the virus," said the order.

"Patients with moderate and severe symptoms shall be admitted in dedicated Covid health centres or dedicated Covid hospitals run by the state government or private," said the order.

The order has banned admitting asymptomatic patients and those with mild symptoms in dedicated Covid healthcare centres or hospitals as they will deny beds to others patients with moderate and severe symptoms of the infection.

For discharge of patients from a hospital, the duration shall be counted from the date of onset of symptoms and not from the date of hospital admission.

"Clinically improved patients will be shifted to Covid care centres from Covid hospitals after their evaluation by the treating physician," added the order.